Economic Hardship: Nigerians Turn to Charcoal as Alternative to Cooking Gas

In the face of the continuous rise in the price of cooking gas, many residents of Nigeria have resorted to using charcoal and firewood as a more affordable alternative.

The situation has led to an increase in the demand for charcoal, causing its price to also rise.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas that was previously sold for between N12,000 to N13,000 in 2023 now sells for between N15,750 to N16,400.

This has forced many to seek cheaper alternatives.

Some residents, like Mrs Victoria Amosu, have completely switched to using charcoal and firewood, while others like Mr Dayo Kunle and his wife have decided to use cooking gas only for warming food when necessary.

Mrs Shola Bisi, a civil servant, has had to use her cooking gas more economically, cooking food that will last her the whole day and only turning on the gas to warm her food before eating.

The situation has also affected businesses like Mrs Gloria Ikenna’s restaurant, where she has had to bear the brunt of the increased cost of cooking gas, negatively impacting her profits.

She has appealed to the government to find a lasting solution to the constant increase in the price of gas to help businesses like hers.

Ms Ogechukwu Ukwuani, a corp member, uses an electric cooker but has had to reconsider her choice of food whenever there is no electricity supply.

She has called on the government to put an end to the plights of Nigerians.

The economic hardship faced by many Nigerians has led to a shift from cooking gas to charcoal and firewood as a more affordable alternative.

This situation has also caused a ripple effect on businesses and has called for urgent intervention by the government.